 Image credit: Andrey Zvyagintsev from Unsplash Winter can be a difficult time. Many experience what is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD can cause symptoms like fatigue, depression, and social withdrawal in climates where there is a lack of sunlight. This wintertime stagnation makes us less active and more prone to weight gain and other negative side effects. However, detoxification can help refresh and reset your body just in time for spring.
The Importance of Resetting So what even is detoxing anyway? Detoxing is the process of removing harmful toxins that have entered the body by way of our environment, the foods we eat, or the fluids we drink. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, an American physician and New York Times best-selling author, we are constantly living in a sea of toxins and it is slowly destroying our bodies and brains. Although our body naturally detoxes through the liver and kidneys, some modalities can help support the natural process. 5 Easy Ways to Detoxify and Refresh Detoxing can seem like a big step for some people, but don’t fret. We aren’t here to put anybody on a liquid-only month-long diet. There are easy ways we can help our body detox without having to strain ourselves too hard. 1. Drink Mo’ H2O If you don’t already carry a Nalgene everywhere you go, start. The average person, male or female, should consume roughly 13.5 cups of water per day — or about three 32 oz Nalgenes. Staying properly hydrated will allow for water to transport waste products out of the body through urination, sweating, and breathing. IV detox therapy can also help keep your body hydrating while flushing your body of harmful toxins, while replenishing with vitamins and minerals. 2. Avoid Processed Foods and Sugary Beverages Consuming high amounts of processed foods and sugar can have detrimental effects to the organs that play a pivotal role in detoxification. For example, high consumption of sugary beverages can cause fatty liver, a condition that negatively impacts liver function. By consuming less junk food, we can protect our detoxification process. 3. Exercise! Exercise, quite literally, is one of the best things we can do for our body. Exercise by itself does not detox your body, but studies have shown that exercise helps keep those vital organs like the kidneys, liver, and lungs functioning optimally. 4. Eat More Antioxidant Rich Foods Antioxidants protect your cells against damage caused by molecules called free radicals. At high levels, free radicals begin to hurt the body by attacking healthy cells. This can lead to a condition called oxidative stress. An antioxidant-rich diet can help reduce damage caused by free radicals, lowering the risk of diseases that can impact detoxification. 5. Limit alcohol Over 90% of alcohol is processed by your liver. Studies show that low-to-moderate alcohol consumption can be beneficial for heart health, however, excessive alcohol consumption can cause a wide range of health problems, including damaged liver function. Limiting alcohol drinking is a very beneficial way to keep the body’s detoxification support strong. How can we maintain this refreshed state? Sustaining your cleansed state for lack of a better term, may seem daunting at first. But in reality, it’s quite easy and even pretty fun. One of the best things to do is to maintain a healthy diet. As we said, antioxidants are essential for helping your body with its natural detoxification process. So eating foods rich in antioxidants such as:
Another way to maintain your detox is simply drinking water. Water helps toxins out of the body through urination, sweating, and breathing. It also promotes healthy organ function. And don’t forget to hydrate before and after working out. Leaving your body dehydrated after a workout can leave it vulnerable to harmful toxins. Takeaways Detoxifying habits can flush our organs of harmful toxins and reduce the impact of oxidative stress. Wintertime is prime time for your body to fall victim to bodily pollutants since our activity level is much more stagnant. So take advantage of natural benefits, they’ll keep your mood up during those dark winters and have you bursting at the seams with energy and youthfulness right in time for spring. There’s a reason why it’s called Spring Cleaning. This article was originally published at iveeapp.com.
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 Image credit: Francesco Cavallini on Unsplash Being in a mental rut can harm our health, productivity, and mood. Constantly bombarding ourselves with tasks, either through procrastination or just straight-up overworking ourselves, can give way to heightened levels of stress and anxiety. So, let’s look at five ways to help boost our productivity and mood.
1. Sleep good, work better. Sleeping is a fantastic, and probably the easiest, home remedy to boost energy. Our mind and body are interconnected, so keeping one healthy ensures the other will do the same. A good start is maximizing sleep quality. Sticking to a structured sleep routine that provides our body with at least 8 hours of sleep will ensure consistent energy levels during the day. But for this to work, you must stick to a specific bedtime and wake-up time. Inconsistent sleep patterns are almost as harmful to the body as little to no sleep. 2. A healthy body is an optimized brain As mentioned above, our body and brain are interconnected. We have talked about resting our bodies, but what about fueling them? Well, certain foods that are high in vitamin B12—one of the main vitamins known for energy enhancement—can help boost energy levels, giving you the fuel needed to get through the day. Fish, meat, poultry, and other dairy products are high in B12. Incorporating this vitamin into your diet can help power both your mind and body, helping you take on whatever life throws at you. 3. Stop workin’, start walkin’? We know this may seem counterintuitive, but taking a step back from a task or assignment can actually help you get it done quicker! Exercise is not only crucial for the body; it also promotes mental well-being. And exercise doesn’t necessarily mean maxing your deadlift between paragraphs. It can be something as simple as going for a walk around the block. Just getting your body moving helps relieve stress, which can significantly inhibit productivity. Before you even start your work, early morning workouts have been said to get your mind and body prepared for the day. 4. Put down the phone Social media, texting, and phone calls ranked as the 4th biggest workplace distractions only behind bathroom breaks and talking with coworkers. We’ve all been there: a text message alert or a Twitter notification goes off, and you are instantly entranced into the endless rabbit hole that is your cell phone. There are a bunch of simple ways to prevent this from happening. For starters, keep your phone and work separate. This can go as far as keeping it in a different room, whatever prevents you from distracting yourself. Other methods, such as putting your phone on “Do Not Disturb” and “Airplane Mode,” can immensely cut down distractions without feeling disconnected. 5. Organize your workspace For many, a cluttered workspace = a cluttered mind. Having a clean workspace can work as a productivity “placebo.” You can trick yourself into working harder when your surroundings are organized. Everyone has their own gauge on what is considered to be “clean,” so do whatever you think is necessary. If it means just clearing off your desk, then go for it. And if “clean” means sanitizing all of your work materials, then do that. Just make sure not to overdo it. There is a fine line between organizing your workspace and plainly pushing off work. Find that balance. Find that productivity. Conclusion Feeling run down can have a lasting impact on our short term productivity, leaving us feeling defeated and mentally exhausted. But simple changes to the way we carry on through the day can help boost productivity and increase energy levels. Simple changes to our sleeping patterns and diet are two vital ways we can achieve this added boost in energy. Other changes such as exercise and work habits can help maximize productivity without stretching ourselves too far. These tips do not have to be followed verbatim, but should act as a guide in helping you navigate what best fits your lifestyle. This article was originally published at iveeapp.com  Image credit: freestocks on Unsplash If you’ve been working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, you might feel like all of the days are running together and you don’t have a good handle on time anymore. Here’s a question for you: When’s the last time you took time off work? The Muse can tell you how you could make the most of your time off!
 Image credit: Jennifer Burk on Unsplash If you’ve started to notice that you get out of breath after one flight of stairs, it’s time to work on your fitness. The good news is that it won’t take that long to improve no matter what type of exercise you choose. Think a month or two, if not a few weeks, although of course some disciplines will help you improve faster than others. Coach Magazine has the full story!
 Image credit: Haley Phelps on Unsplash.com A poll of 2,000 people has found that six in 10 are increasingly aware of the need to get time to themselves with some people getting up to three hours every single day. The Sun has more...
 Image credit: Sydney Sims on Unsplash In fact, a recent study from Mind revealed that 60 per cent of Brits' mental health has declined during lockdown - with 42 per cent rarely or never feeling relaxed at home in recent weeks. The Sun has more information..
 During this stressful time, some people may be experiencing more stress than normal. There are plenty of techniques and methods out there, but Coach Magazine has advice on how athletes deal with when the stress of training begins to take its toll.
 You've had a hard day at work and once you come home, the TV goes on and you sit there for the rest of the night watching the same shows you've seen before! The Muse has 15 things you could be doing instead of freshen life up and not leave you feeling so tired!
 Image credit: National Post We’d all like to be a little happier wouldn't we but there is so much that is out of your control which determines that happiness. Quartz takes a look at the outside influences...
 Staying at home during the coronavirus outbreak can be an isolating time for many people, with some worried about how they will manage to keep in touch with family and friends without seeing them.
Video calling is one way of keeping up communication, but is it as effective as seeing someone in real life? Head over to Sky News to find out more!  Its all about happiness isn't it? Starting the day on the right foot without the bad morning habits is the way forward! Boots has some ideas on how to start your day well!
 Life is busy these days, everyone goes about their day and then you're going to bed! myfitnesspal.com has a feature on why eating as a family is so important!
 Thoughts are incredibly powerful and in your head, those thoughts are what your reality is meant to be. But most of the time, what you think will happen, actually won't! Tony Robbins has a break down on how to stop overthinking!
 Welcome to Monday! You can read what the 'UK's happiest person', Shonette Bason-Wood does every morning to put herself in a good mood! The Mirror has more!
 Photo credit: Lifehack There are different types of sleepers out there, well so the research says! But which are you? The Sun has the results from some research from the mattress company, Simba!
 Photo credit: Upstretch Crossfit If you are struggling to get yourself out of bed, how about some tips on how to jump up and get ready to smash your day?! The Muse have 6 tips to get you going!
 Photo credit: ABC News Tasha Frampton had a dream to have her own family but was told she would need to have a dramatic weight loss to help make it all come true! The Mirror has more..
 Photo credit: BT.com Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and its good to know what you should be eating to get the best out of the start of your day! The Sun has more!
 You don't realise the power of a good night's sleep until you can't catch enough zzzz! The Sun has a list of what you can lose from your bedroom to help you snore all the way through!
 Depression is extremely common in the modern world and affects more people than you think and as its often not seen, you don't always know who may well be suffering. On the flip side, knowing how to help someone with depression can be difficult especially if you've never suffered from depression yourself.
Women's Health have a feature on this which could help..  Photo credit: Arthritis.org Its been said that you can lose weight in just 10 days with following 4 easy steps and working out your type of body. The Sun has more on a new type of approach!
 What makes you happy? The answers vary from one person to the next, a cup of tea for one person is another's glass of wine! Bupa Care Homes carried out a study and you can read more in the Mirror!
 Photo credit: MediBulletin.com We know that walking is a great way to exercise without having to break a sweat, well for most anyway. The idea of 10,000 steps is widely known as what you should be aiming for but now science has said that just 4,400 steps can make a big difference! myfitnesspal.com has more!
 Photo credit: Coachmag.com Are you up and out first thing? Are you down the gym in the evening? When exactly is the best time to workout? myfitnesspal.com has some of the answers!
 Photo credit: betinagozo.com Betina Gozo once lived a very different life to what she does now playing in a band, now fitness is the focus of her life! The hard work and dedication was recognised by Nike who made her a Nike Master Trainer! You can read more about Betina's morning routine that can inspire your own Women's Health Magainze!
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Author - ChrisAuthor, Editor, Creator of Learn Develop Live Archives
December 2021
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